PAST SIMPLE VS. PAST CONTINUOUS

past simple vs past continuous

start

What are we going to check?

Past Simple Tense

When and while

Past Continuous

Practice

Contrast

past simple

Past simple tense

The Past Tenses are essential because they describe actions that took place in our lives. The past simple is used to talk about finished actions in the past. Examples:

• The auditor reviewed the financial statements for accuracy.
• The financial records were audited by an external firm.
• The company recorded a significant loss in the previous quarter.

affirmative sentences

Peter bought a soda yesterday.

Susan arrived late last night.

negative sentences

Susan didn't travel last holiday.

Peter didn't break the glass.

interrogative sentences

Did Susan visit her family?

Did Peter find the keys.

Wh interrogative sentences

When did Susan start classes?

Why did Peter get good marks.

• Place

Example: Where did (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) go? (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) went to Cancun.

• Specific thing, object

Example: What did (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) do? (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) ate Mexican food.

• Time

Example: When did (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) go? (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) went last summer.

• When referring to people

Example: Who did you go with? I went with my mother.

• Way, manner, form

Example: How did (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) travel? (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) traveled by plane.

• Reason, explanation

Example: Why did you travel by train? Because (I, you, he, she, it, you, we, they) go? didn't have enough money.

02

Past continuous

Past continuous

The past continuous is used to describe an action in progress at a specific moment in the past, or to describe activities that were interrupted by a short action in the past. Example

• I was watching the game last Saturday at ten o’clock.

affirmative sentences

They were watching the match yesterday morning.

Karen was wearing fashionable clothes.

negative sentences

They were not drinking lemonade last dinner.

Sofi was not listening music two ours ago.

interrogative sentences

Were They playing video games until late?

Was Tom reading the book last class?

past simple vs past continuous

We often use the past continuous and the past simple in the same sentence. The action in the past simple is short and usually unexpected. It interrupts the “longer” action which is generally in a past continuous form.For Example:

• What were you doing when the plane landed?

• I was walking in the street when I fell down.
• I was waiting in the bus stop when the car crashed.

• I was watching TV while my wife was sleeping.

past simple vs past continuous

When we have a sentence in past simple and another in past continuous, we often use when and while, but we have to take into consideration the following rules:

1. After the conference, I _____ that a man _____ the walls of the building. a. was seeing / was painting b. saw / was painting c. was seeing / painted 2. He was so angry that he _____ and _____. a. was getting up / left b. got up / was leaving c. got up / left

3. I _____ the vase while I _____ the bookshelf. a. broke / was cleaning b. broke / cleaned c. was breaking / was cleaning 5. As soon as we walked into the room, we _____ a noise. Someone ______ my computer. a. heard / used b. were hearing / used c. heard / was using.

Past Simple Tense

Finished actions

Shorter actions

Time Expressions

was / were

unexpected actions

Regular Verbs

Last Ago Yesterday Years

Irregular verbs

when

Past Continuous Tense

Time Expressions

Actions in progress

Longer actions

was / were

Last night at 6 PM At midnight Yesterday at this time This morning This week At 6:00 yesterday

Simultaneous actions

Verb + ing

while

longer action

I was washing my car...

when

PRESENT

FUTURE

PAST

the accident happened

shorter action

I was washing my car...

Simultaneous actions

while

FUTURE

PAST

PRESENT

she was watching TV

1.__________ I woke up my father was watching TV. 2. ____________ we were taking our lesson she was joking all the time. 3. I was eating breakfast __________ my brother was reading a book. 4. My mother was watching TV _____________ I arrived home. 5. __________ we were eating the famous italian pasta we met a girl from the USA. 6. __________ I was having I changed my mind and decided to visit Chapultepec Park. 7. __________ was taking photos a lot of people were relaxing and running along the river. 8. I was running in th park _______ I listened the news about the weather on the radio. 9. We were taking some photos_________ a lot of tourist were talking and relaxing. 10. ________ the train arrived we were buying the newspaper

When I 1 _____ (arrive) at the station, Raimond 2. ___ (wait) for me. He 3. ___ (wear) a nice black suit and he 4. ___ (hold) a red rose in his right hand. When I 5. ____ (get off) the train, he 6. ___ (run) up to me and 7. ___ (kiss) me passionately. It 8. ___ (rain) heavily so he 9. ___ (take off) his jacket and 10. ___ (put) it over my head. I 11. ___ (tell) Raimond to go to a café so that we could talk, but he 12. ___ (insist) on going to another place. While he 13. ___ (drive), I 14. ___ (throw) a look at him. He 15. ___ (smile), but he also 16. ___ (look) nervous.

He finally 17. ___ (stop) his car on the top of a hill with fantastic views. It was so wonderful. We 18. ___ (get out) of the car, and he 19. ___ (kneel) in front of me and 20. ___ (take) a ring out of his pocket. “Kathy, will you...” he said. “Listen, Raimond, I want to break up with you,” I interrupted.

Let's practice!

do you have questions?

What did you do on your last holidays?

Think about the last time you went on a holiday. Read the following questions and answer them. Your answers may be affirmative or negative. share your answers to the class in a very short presentation.

1. Where did you go?
2. Who did you go with?
3. What did you do?
4. What did you have to eat and drink?
5. What happened while you were eating and drinking?
6. Did you meet anyone?
7. Did you have a good time?

Before doing your task, do not forget to check the checklist that will be used to evaluate your activity.